Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Premiere Props will be hosting an auction at Texas Frightmare Weekend, one of the biggest horror conventions in the country. They will be selling authentic movie memorabilia from Hollywood and indie horror films, current and classics. Among many other items an autographed script from “Christine” will be up for auction. John Carpenter among other cast members will be available for a Q & A with Frightmare attendees. Fan girls can get a piece of Twilight star Robert Pattinson by bidding on his costume from his latest film, “Remember Me”. Nostalgic items such as Freddy Kruger’s torn and tattered Christmas sweater and Michael Myer’s butcher knife that has slaughtered countless screaming victims from Halloween II will be up for grabs as well.

The live auction will begin at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Irving, Texas, where the convention will be held. On Saturday, May 1, there will be a preview to the auction materials from 11 am until 1pm, when the actual auction will begin.

Fans can also place live bids online at http://www.LiveAuctioneers.com or at http://www.premiereprops.com with the preview beginning May 1 at 11am CST and the live auction starting at 1pm. For more information, please visit http://www.premiereprops.com or call (310) 322-PROP / (888) 761-PROP.

“This is the great opportunity for Horror fans to own a piece of their favorite films,” says Dan Levin, Vice President of Marketing for Premiere Props. “Fans can attend the Texas Frightmare Weekend and come away with an amazing souvenir from the Live Auction.”

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Just when you thought it’d be another grueling decade before we’d see the brothers in arms once again, news have started circulating the net about the upcoming Boondock Saints comic set to be released later this April! That’s right folks, it seems that the brother are set to star in their own one shot comic called THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: “THE LOST GIG”. The Lose Gig which will act as a primer to the highly anticipated debut comic series, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: “IN NOMINE PATRIS” which will hit comic stands later in May.

The One Shot will follow the MacManus brothers on one of their lost adventures. What makes this even more so trilling is the fact that Writter/Director Troy Duffy co-wrote the comic and has confirmed the comic to be “Cannon” and it will fully satisfying it’s dedicated fan base as well as invite comic readers new to the series who never heard of the films to enjoy the action packed adventure of the MacManus brothers. But there’s even more good news to add on to this! Aside from the comic hitting the news stands soon, it will also makes it way to the iPad! Yep, you read it right, you’ll be able to pick up a copy or download it straight onto your iPade or iPhone and iPod (sweetness!) Below you find the full details regarding this plus a SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE COMIC! Enjoy!

TROY DUFFY’s original BOONDOCK SAINTS film is one of the most successful independent movies of all time, with a fiercely loyal and devoted fan base. Now, on the heels of the recent theatrical release of THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY, comes, “The Lost Gig” is destined to thrill both Boondock Saints and comic book fans alike.

Written by BOONDOCK SAINTS creator/writer/director TROY DUFFY and comic scribe J.B. LOVE, (with art and cover by TOBY CYPRESS) “The Lost Gig” is a brand new “in canon” story that ties directly into the first Boondock Saints film. “The Lost Gig” features fan favorite character ROCCO along with the BROTHERS McMANUS as they take on a group of drug dealers, right before their famous encounter with Vincenzo.

Join the McMANUS BROTHERS and ROCCO as they wreak havoc (and machine gun fire!) on a whole new group of evil men, complete with the action, humor and banter that Boondock Saints fans have come to expect from the beloved characters.

Fleshing out this special one shot is an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Troy Duffy about the saints in comic form, sketches and behind the scenes art from Toby Cypress, as well as an exclusive sneak-peek of May’s THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: “IN NOMINE PATRIS”, produced by INNFUSION and published by 12-Gauge Comics!

“The Lost Gig” is also available in PRINT exclusively through The Boondock Saints Web Store(http://www.boondockstore.com/) and can be Pre-Ordered now. The first 1000 pre-orders will be signed by TROY DUFFY. The printed edition ships in late April, 2010.THE SAINTS ARE COMING!

About ComicStoreComics’ Killer App. ComicStore is a new digital comics platform designed specifically for the new Apple iPad. Launch titles include the first Boondock Saints comic, “The Lost Gig” and the 12-Gauge Comics’ hit, LUKE McBAIN with additional titles launching rapidly over the coming months. Developed and Designed by INNFUSION, the ComicStore platform will expand to iPhone and iPod Touch in the next several months as well as debut a series of advanced features that will deliver the finest and most robust digital comics experience available. For more information visithttp://www.comicstoreapp.com/or emailHiThere@ComicStoreApp.com

Right now as we speak DVD and Blu-Ray disc players owned by the dedicated fan base of The Boondock Saints is on the verge of burn out from excessive over use since the release of the long awaited sequel ‘The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day’ (2009) but one can completely understand the reason behind this, the fans have long been awaiting a sequel, 10 years to be precise, and the fan were not just given the sequel they’ve been waiting for, but the sequel they deserve! But now there’s going to be something entirely different that will be excessively used by the Saints loyal fan base! “THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY” ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK! That’s right people the long awaited sequel’s soundtrack is getting released on CD (Do people still listen to CD‘s anymore?!) and downloadable off iTunes! but don't just take my word for it, read on for more info on this below: The much anticipated Soundtrack spans a range of sounds and styles, including innovative new stars such as Atlantic Recording Artist Ty Stone, The Dirges, Sean C. and former Lava Atlantic recording artists, Taylor and Troy Duffy. These stimulating tracks are featured alongside melodic tracks from the film’s score composed by Jeff Danna.

“The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day” ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK,” arrives in major stores and online April 2010.

"Line Of Blood" and "Real Thang" are just two of a string of smashes Detroit-born singer-songwriter Ty Stone has racked up. Kid Rock says, “Ty Stone is an undeniable talent. He is Blue Eyed Soul at its finest. His powerful and soulful voice is truly something to witness, and the songs he writes are even better.”

The rousing sounds of the The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Soundtrack can be purchased at the following stores:http://www.boondocksaints.com/soundtrack/, Hot Topic, fye stores, iTunes and Amazon. Other major retailers soon!

It is the new ‘must have’ item for all dedicated followers of Boondock Saints. Click the link below and check it out, as well as a sneak peek into upcoming comic books, mobile games and graphic novel currently in development!http://www.boondockstore.com/. For more on the film’s Blu-ray and DVD release, please visithttp://www.sphepublicity.com/.

TCWreviews’s Administrator and Editor in chief Clifford Kiyabu sits down with Uptown (2009) star Chris Riquinha for an exclusive interview! He’s an aspiring Actor that has a taste for the theater arts and the independent genre, and has already appeared in two award winning films. But what’s on the minds of many who reads this is; who is Chris Riquinha? Well folks you’ll get your first chance at finding out in this exclusive interview that Chris did with none other than yours truly. In this Q&A session I sat down with the actor in a no hold bar interview and asked the questions that some have been dying to know.

Clifford: First off, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview, Chris, I’m sure you’ve been pretty busy lately.

Chris: Are you kidding? It's my pleasure, thank you for wanting to interview me.

Clifford: Before we get into full gear I figured we’d start off a little light if that’s okay with you?

Chris: Taking it easy on me, huh? I appreciate it.

Clifford: Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Chris Riquinha?

Chris: What the hell? I thought you were going to take it easy on me, [Laughs]. That is one of a lot of actors most feared questions. "What do they want to hear?" "What do I say to make sure people don't think I'm a douche bag?" Well...here goes: I was born in Livingston, NJ and spent most of my life growing up in the small suburban town of Port Reading, NJ. The first few years of my life, however were in Elizabeth, NJ, which is where I had my first experience on a stage. I played a shepherd boy in a Christmas play in kindergarten, and had two girls fight over me on stage...needless to say I was hooked! Actually, it wasn’t until high school, where I performed in all the plays, that I did some real acting again; I was always more of a singer (speaking of which, I can't wait to sing in a band! It hasn't happened yet, but it will). After graduation I went to school for Sports Medicine, however after a couple years of studying, realized it wasn't for me, then eventually I discovered I wanted to act. Since then I've been studying and working as much as I can, trying to find my way in this crazy ass/wonderful business. Along the way, making sure I enjoy the ride of course.

Clifford: What inspired you to go into acting?

Chris: Well like I said, I had acted a bit as a kid and then again in high school, but I never even considered doing it as a career. It wasn't until years later when, while watching the bonus material for the movie The Gladiator (yeah I know that's weird), I thought about acting again. I was watching all the behind the scenes stuff and I remembered back to how much I enjoyed performing and even rehearsing, so I decided to take a couple classes and see what happened. And now...here I am.

Clifford: So what projects have you worked on?

Chris: I've done some musical theatre (Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, etc.), I've done a bunch of student/short films (those are great learning experiences), and there's a PC Richard commercial floating around somewhere out there. The past two years specifically have been really productive for me. It started of with me hooking up with cult horror film director Richard W. Haines in a film called "What Really Frightens You?". Keeping with the theme, I performed in one of the most interesting theatre experiences out there with RadioTheatre's "Dracula"...really, really cool shit! After doing another show I met Princeton Holt and he asked me to be in his film Cookies & Cream, following that he passed my name along to his friend and fellow filmmaker Brian Ackley, who decided to cast me in his first feature, Uptown.

Clifford: Is there any particular genre you prefer working in most?

Chris: Not really, I really like to mix it up. I love doing different things, stretching myself, otherwise I get bored to be honest. Ideally I would love to just bounce around from one genre to another to another, and just keep things fresh.

Clifford: I had the pleasure of reviewing “Uptown” a film you starred in last summer (Review). What was it like working on that project?

Chris: Well first of all, thank you for reviewing the film and for your kind words regarding it, I'm really glad you liked the work we all put into it. I'll tell ya man, working on Uptown was the greatest overall acting experience I've ever had...honestly. We filmed principle Monday through Friday in one week straight...so I guess the fact that for those five days, all I concerned myself with was making this movie...it was freaking awesome. That's not to say things went perfectly, [Laughs], not even close. We definitely had our share problems, but in hind sight, all of that just added to the experience. I have some really great memories from that week.

Clifford: What was it like working with the cast and crew?

Chris: They all sucked...…[Laughs], I'm only kidding (I'm a bit sarcastic)! Everyone was really great. Meissa and I got along stellar (that's her word...I'm stealing it) both on and off camera. Brian, Princeton, and Ryan all seemed to share this crazy, awesome, visionary brain which made the work really fun. Deirdre and Derek were a blast to work with. We all grew very close during the week. I know people say this all the time, and I know it's kinda cheesy, but it truly was just this great collaborative work environment that made going to work everyday an absolute pleasure. At least that's the way it was for me anyway.

Clifford: So you guys all hit it off from the get-go I take it, do you guys all still keep in touch regularly?Chris: Without a doubt! Princeton and I have become very good friends and we're collaborating on a film we're going to make together soon, and Brian, Meissa, and myself regularly check in with each other to see how things are going both professionally and personally, to share a memory, or just for the hell of it. In fact, the three of us are going to see Meissa in a show she's performing in later this week...should be a great night!

Clifford: While watching the film I notice there was what appeared to be a lot of improvisational acting going on, I mean there were scenes where you and the cast were following a script and than there where scenes where you and the cast where improvising on the spot but still sticking to an overall concept.

Chris: Yeah there is a lot of improv in the film, in fact there wasn't even a fleshed out script. Basically what would happen is Brian would tell us what he wanted in the scene, sometimes he would give us points to cover, sometimes there were a few lines that we needed to work around, but generally speaking, he really wanted us to play with it. We would usually do a brief rehearsal, so he could see where we would go with it, and he would give us notes...or not...and then we would shoot it. It really worked for me because even though he knew what he wanted, he let us figure out how to get there. All that being said, there were definitely a few scenes that were fully scripted, so for those we just followed his writing.

Clifford: So unlike some tough as nails Directors out there who‘ll demand precisely what they want out of their actors, Brian Ackley is pretty laid back when it come to the creativity with the cast?

Chris: That's the interesting thing, Brian did know exactly what he wanted, at least as far as character, and he communicated that very well to us. I remember one scene we had to shoot a number of times because it was missing something very specific from me...and of course it was an extremely emotional scene for Meissa, so I felt so terrible, but he got what he wanted in the end. He had this thing...everyday we would show up on set and he would have a few note cards for us with some notes regarding the days scenes...it was an incredibly effective technique. So once he had us locked in and comfortable with our characters and where we were going with them, he let us play.

Clifford: I noticed you and co-star Meissa Hampton had some great onscreen chemistry going between the two of you, was part of that chemistry channeled through a real life relationship?

Chris: [Laughs] That's a great question! No there was nothing going on between Meissa and myself behind the scenes. No sneaking off between takes to hide somewhere and makeout like teenagers...although that would've been fun, [Laughs.] For the record, Meissa is freaking awesome, and super cool to hang out and work with. I must admit that as the week went on I found myself a bit smitten with her, but nothing ever happened...perhaps that played into what you see on screen too.

Clifford: Interestingly enough I learned that you co-wrote “Uptown” with Director Brian Ackley, to what extent of involvement did you take in writing it?

Chris: Yeah, that was cool. The writing credits that Meissa and I received were given to us because Brian and Princeton realized just how much of the film was improved, so they figured they'd give us some props. It was a really unexpected surprise for me, it just further proves my point about how collaborative those guys were.

Clifford: How did you take the news when you found out you and co-star Meissa Hampton were both nominated for an award each for your performances in “Uptown”

Chris: I'm not gonna lie to you Cliff...I was pretty freaking excited. That was my first nomination, so for me it was a big deal. Finding out that people like your work is an awesome feeling, I mean that's why we do it after all, to entertain people. And the fact that Meissa got one too was icing on the cake...then again, she won and I didn't so screw her, [Laughs]. Just kidding man, honestly, I couldn't have been happier for her, I thought it was badass that one of us was actually able to walk away with the award.

Clifford: How’d your family take the news about you being nominated? Assuming they knew of course.

Chris: [Laughs], I'm pretty sure they were more excited than I was! And there's some other news regarding the film that I recently found out about, which I am strictly forbidden to talk about...if I'm not mistaken, Princeton (who was the Producer on the film) threatened either my life or my manhood if I mentioned it, [Laughs]...but when I told the family about that, they were very excited for me.

Clifford: So where do you hope to see yourself five years from now in the Business?

Chris: The red carpet at the Academy Awards of course, [Laughs]. I have some very high goals set for myself, and I would love to see some of those start to happen in five years. I would also love to get involved in the voiceover world; animated films and especially video games. I've been a gamer since I was a kid and I still love playing, so if I could do some of that and be able to hear, or even see myself in a game...holy shit, that would be crazy, [Laugh]

Clifford: are there any shout-outs to any family or friends you like to give?

Chris: Sure, why not. Just a quick thank you to the family for supporting me in many different ways over the years; my father Carlos, my mom Cindy, my brother Carlos and his wife Melissa, and my sister Catia. Also a special thanks to Paul LaGrutta, owner of Mulberry Street Restaurant in Woodbridge, NJ for letting us film in his restaurant (he also has a cameo in the film as our waiter, [Laughs]). Congrats to Jace Nicole, who I worked with on "Cookies & Cream", also with Brian and Princeton, for kicking ass like she's been doing! There's a police officer out there somewhere who allowed us to finish filming somewhere we were definitely not supposed to, he's the man! And finally a very sincere thank you to all my friends who continually support my work...I really appreciate it, you guys are awesome!

Clifford: So how does you family feel about you being an actor?

Chris: Fortunately they're my biggest fans. My parents are super supportive, they're always asking me what's going on and what I'm up too...and when they're gonna see me either on TV or the big screen, [Laughs]. When I was first getting started, just taking classes and building confidence, they had their concerns, occasionally chiming in with,"so are you thinking about going by to college for Sports Medicine yet?" But now they realize this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, and I've been fortunate to start to have some success, so they're pretty cool...still patiently waiting for TV or Big Screen

Clifford: This next question I’m about to ask you has become somewhat of a tradition for interviews here at TCWreviews.com, so don’t worry, you’re definitely not the first one I’ve asked this question to, and you won’t be the last. [Laughs]

Chris: No there was no "casting couch"

Clifford: The term ‘For The Sake of Art’ have always been coined in the entertainment industry for how far an actor/actress would be willing to go for the sake of art. So my question to you is; How far are you willing to go for the sake of art in this industry?

Chris: Oh damn, great question! Part of the reason I love acting is the fact that you get to be different people and do things you would never get the opportunity to do in real life. So how far? Aside from smoking (I'm really against the stuff and I'll hopefully never have to for a role), I can't think of anything I wouldn't do to be honest. That's what makes this so much freaking fun!

Clifford: Well thanks for taking the time to chit-chat with us about yourself, Chris. We certainly look forward to hearing from you again and would like to invite you to come back and do this again someday in the near future.

Chris: That would be great. Thank you for taking an interest in me and my work, it has been a lot of fun. I'll see you again soon.

And that conclude my interview with actor Chris Riquinha. Chris and I continued to talked for a bit longer after the interview was over, just some miner chit-chat about what opportunities await him, and the possibility of a second interview some time in the near future. I thank you all who read this interview and Chris for partaking in the interview, it sure was a blast! My personal opening on him is; he was an interesting and pleasant interviewee who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. I think giving some time he’ll make a mark of his own in the field of acting, there’s no doubt about it in my mind. Chris is currently starring in “Uptown” (2009) and has appeared in such resent films as “Cookies & Cream” (2008), “Vanishing Point” (2008), “What Really Frightens You” (2009), and soon to be seen in “Butterfly Chasers“ (2010). For more information on Actor Chris Riquinha visit Chrisriquinha.com

Plot: As homicide detective Thomas Craven investigates the death of his activist daughter, he uncovers

Review: 7/10

The Story is about: Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) a homicide detective in the Boston Police Department. Witnesses his 24-year old daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) blown away by a shotgun blast at the doorsteps of his own home. Everyone assumes that Thomas, who was standing next to her, was the killer's intended target. However, Thomas begins to suspect that Emma was the real target. Driven by heartache and blame, Thomas initiates his own private investigation to uncover Emma's secret life and the reason for her murder. His investigation leads him down a dark and shadowy path of corporate and a government cover up that is bigger than he could ever imagine.

My Thoughts: There’s a phrase said various number of times in the film Edge of Darkness “Everything's Illegal in Massachusetts”, in short this phrase pays homage to the great state of Massachusetts for having some of tee most toughest of laws than any other state in the union, for better or worst some have even joked that this was their punishment for the Boston Tea party incident of 1773. No matter the truth behind it, one cannot deny it’s got a catchy ring to it.

People say you should fear those with power, because it’s they, the ones with the power in the world who can take everything you love including your own life away from you in the blink of an eye if they deem it so. I on the other hand, humbly disagree with that assessment, because in reality the one you should fear most is not the one with the power, but the one with nothing left to live for, because they have nothing to live for they aren’t afraid to die which means they are to be feared most by those who control the game. Put any man in the right position where they stand to lose everything they hold dear to them, and I promise you they’ll be capable of doing unimaginable things that niter you or themselves could ever imagine. Which brings me to actor Mel Gibson’s latest film he stars in, Edge of Darkness, Gibson plays a police detective who’s just welcomed home his astringe daughter, whom he hasn’t seen in quite some time, not long after his reunion with his daughter two masked gunmen appear before his doorsteps with but one thing in mind, to kill, after witnessing his only child killed right in front of him, Detective Thomas Craven (Gibson) is left shocked and distressed as he struggles with coming to terms over the death of his daughter and feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt over the thought his daughter took a built that was meant for him, he works tirelessly to hunt down the men responsible and bring them to justice, but to his own discovery he learns that he was never the intended. As this story slowly unfolds we are treated with plot shocking twists and turns that the leave the viewers breathless, could this be the return of the Mel Gibson we fell in love with all those years ago? Well you have to read on to find won’t you!

I regretfully confess that I’ve never seen the 1985 BBC television series of the same name that this film was adapted from, nor have I read the original source material, which puts me in a spot for not being able to have a sense of comparison between the two to see witch was better. None the less, I still found this film to be very enjoyable on many levels. From it’s dark and tough as knells dialogue, to it’s somewhat dark sense of humor it lets peek into the film sometimes, Edge of Darkness is a film that revamps the classy Iconic Film Noir genre for a new generation to enjoy. I must worn that the film is not for everyone as it does follow through with it’s title for being incredibly dark, the film leaves no room for your typical Hollywood happy ending. But trust me when I say that a happy ending for a film at this stature would never work, it would actually destroy the final message the film delivers to it’s viewers “You had better decide whether you're hangin' on the cross... or bangin' in the nails.”. My only real big disappointment with the film is that; as astounding as the film’s plot was, it starts off on a rather slow moving pace and doesn’t really pick up in speed until about the half way point. Because of this hiccup the film often at times leaves viewers focus wondering away from the screen until the excitement begins to start, which I cannot stress enough how lost some viewers could be left at some point during the film, because much of the film’s ending is understood through heavy focus on the film’s first half which sets up the final end game. Despite this rough patch in the film, I found Edge of Darkness to be fully enjoyable thought provoking film that hit’s the viewers hard with an emotionally charged ending that is both dark and touching, Edge of Darkness is a film I wouldn’t mind looking into again someday.

As for the acting: when word started to spread about this film the first thing to come to my mind was the same thought that was probably on everyone else’s; is this going to star the Mel Gibson we’ve all come to love and respect from his heyday in ’Mad Max’ OR, is this going to star the Mel Gibson we’ve come to know as simply, the Mad-Man? Well it’s safe to say we’ve been blessed with luck from above on this one, because while we don’t see the classic Gibson we all love, it’s safe to say neither do we see modern Gibson either. Instead what we get is a new side of Gibson, a side that ‘s older, wiser, and much more mature, I have a new found respect for the man after watching his performance in this film, a respect I had thought was long lost in the previous decade. This is defiantly a Gibson I look forward to seeing in future projects in the coming years. Ray Winstone is a real treat to watch in this, his acting chemistry works surprisingly well with that of Gibson, all I can say is a lot of ruggedness is seen between the two to really show off their qualities as actors. I admit I’ve never been too kind to Winstone’s past films (Beowulf, Fool‘s Gold ext. ext.) but I’m really liking the direction he’s been going in as an actor as of recently, especially in this film, here’s to hopping he sticks to it in the future. Danny Huston was fantastic in his role, mainly due to his ability to allow the role to take charge and never the other way around, if you’re like me (and have seen an insane amount of films he‘s co-starred in) than you’ll know perfectly well what I’m talking about. Bojana Novakovic was perfect for the role of Emma Craven, the daughter of detective Thomas Craven, she and Gibson matched perfectly together as father and daughter for the sort time they were on screen together. Gabrielle Popa who played young Emma Craven in the film’s flashback and daydreams was fantastic, which is a rarity for child actors in my opinion, sadly however, even though I’ve given high pries to the cast in this film and much to the film in general, one thing this film lacked terribly in was the lack of a strong enough female presence. Acknowledging the fact this film was made to be a straight-out thriller for a slightly more male viewing audience, the film’s overall background contain elements that swayed it towards a female audience just as equally and could have made this film all the more enjoyable to watch if there was a stronger female presence.

Final Say: Edge of Darkness was a fairly enjoyable film that didn’t go without it’s own share of rough edges. However, as doll as the film’s first half was, the film easily saves itself from certain cinematic death by pumping up it’s viewers with an exhilarating second half that provided a bitter sweet finale. The film may not have been all that it could have been, but something was certainly better having than noting at all, and I can go on content with just that. I recommend it.

Death at a Funeral is one of the most unneeded American remakes. The original film is only 3 years old so there really isn’t any updating or bringing it to a new audience. It’s bad enough that Americans can’t read subtitles during a film thus an entire new movie needs to get made. Here though, it’s remaking a film that was already in English in to the same language, which is even more needless. That said, I actually enjoyed the American remake more than the original. The original obviously gets more credit for being creative and initially coming up with the idea. It was mildly amusing, but I found myself laughing through the vast majority of the 2010 version. Perhaps it’s because the American humor appealed more to me than the British did or that this film had such a stellar cast that was a joy to watch. Either way, the film works.

Aaron’s (Rock) father has just died and he is having the service at his house, following his father’s wishes. From the very beginning everything is going wrong. The wrong body is even brought to the funeral and they only have a pretty good idea of where Aaron’s father’s body is. Aaron is stressed about doing the eulogy. He is an aspiring writer, but hasn’t finished writing his first novel yet, while his praised brother, Ryan (Lawrence), has had multiple books published with great success. Everyone is torn that Ryan isn’t doing the eulogy since he’s not the oldest brother. Aaron knows this puts more pressure on him to deliver and just wants to give his father the respect he deserves. This becomes harder and harder to do as the day goes on.

A man in a leather jacket continues eyeing Aaron very mysteriously. Among other disasters such as his cousin’s (Saldana) high boyfriend, Simon (Marsden), knocking over the coffin and making the body tumble across the room, Aaron is confronted by Frank. He learns they were very close and in fact was his father’s lover. Since he wasn’t in the will, he wants $30,000 as compensation. If they don’t pay him off, Frank will show the photos to everyone, shaming his father at his funeral. Aaron is about to pay him despite needing the money to move out of his moms house and start a family with his wife (Hall) until he insults his writing. Ryan ends up knocking Frank down and they essentially kidnap him so he can’t show the evidence to the funeral guests. The same drugs that were in the falsely labeled valium bottle are given to Frank to calm him down. Simon is haluccinating, naked, and nearly jumps off a roof after taking just one and Frank was given 4. Soon it seems they might need a new plan as they might have overdosed him and could do hard time if they can’t hide the body.

The cast really did help in making this a very enjoyable film. James Marsden was my personal favorite as the high as a kite, Simon. Marsden is a talented actor, always showing such great energy, spark, and charisma. It was fun seeing him here as it was really a chance for him to fully project all of that energy since the role was completely goofy and profiling a character who was not in his right mind, paranoid, and loopy. Marsden gave us the funniest moments in the film and anytime he was on screen he was a complete joy to watch. Chris Rock was only second to his performance as no one can really match his comedic timing and sarcastic and witty tone. He was sympathetic as our leading character, someone we could really watch the film through. I’m usually not particularly a fan of Martin Lawrence, but he did a pretty good job here as the self-centered and cocky, Ryan. His best moments though were when he was desperately trying to find a solution to the problem with Chris Rock’s character.

This is exactly the same role with pretty similar dialogue so if you saw the first you know what to expect from Peter Dinklage as Frank. He does well in the role, seeming suave and determined yet very casual and calm, as if he knows either way he’s going to win. Zoe Saldana did wonderful as Elaine, charming and strong. She is pushed to her limits in trying to keep up with Simon’s out of control actions, making it harder for her family to accept her boyfriend. Regina Hall did well as Chris Rock’s wife, although her character was pretty similar in most scenes as her main concern was having sex to get pregnant even in the morbid setting. Tracy Morgan is funny and enjoyable, but has had better roles. Luke Wilson did great as the dense yet determined Derek who was constantly after Elaine no matter how many times she rejected him. Columbus Short gave a good performance. His character was the only one thrown in between the two major disasters simultaneously going on.

Plot wise this film is identical to the original. It isn’t the same script though. The majority of the characters have different personalities and dialogue and particularly the comedy was redirected towards American culture. If you really liked the comedy in the original, who knows you might not like this as much. Personally, I felt these character felt more relatable, amusing, and fun to go along with on this ride. I think most people will be able to enjoy the film and have a fun time whether or not you watched and liked or disliked the original, or even if you haven’t seen it.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Babelgum.com’s new series, “Date-A-Human” combines sci-fi and quirky romantic comedy; focusing on the more rare female sci-fi audience. Babelgum comedy publisher, Amber J. Lawson says, ““Babelgum has had incredible success with sci-fi comedy, offering streaming nominated programs with leading Web talent such as ‘The Crew,’ ‘Hurtling Through Space’ and ‘Craig and the Werewolf.’ With ‘Date A Human’ on our roster, we can provide a fresh new show catering towards female sci-fi fans.”

“Date-A-Human” follows Allie (Anne Griffin), a human girl who has finally given up on human men after being hurt for the last time. Giving in to her roommate, Ruthie’s (Brook Lyons), advice of searching for her love match on the internet through a dating website, DateAHuman.com, that specializes in interspecies relationships. The series shows the ups and downs, mishaps and sparks in Allie’s experiences with dating a different species for a change.

The show is directed by Joy Dohring who’s background consists of training in the American Film Institute’s “Directing Workshop for Women” and most recently the short, 18, starring Youth in Revolt’s Portia Doubleday. “We really wanted to take a new spin on love and dating and what better way to do that than to bring aliens into the mix. It is sure to be a series that will be loved by both female and sci-fi fans. And with its global audience and like-minded series, we could not think of a better place to host our show than Babelgum Comedy”, says Dohring. The first three of the six episodes premiered March 30. Character activity and series developments can be followed on Twitter or Facebook

Saturday, April 10, 2010

“Vamped Out” is a new horror comedy web series presented by Babelgum Comedy and marks Kevin Pollak’s directorial debut. The series stars Kevin Pollak, Jason Antoon, Illeana Douglas, Cheri Oteri, Topher Grace, and Samm Levine among others. Robert Legoto, who won the Oscar for visual effects of Titanic, is the cinematographer on the series. Vamped Out begins on April 12 on Babelgum.com and is set for 6 webisodes.

In the show, Pollak plays Elliot Finke, a documentary filmmaker who believes he is capturing footage of a real world vampire. The documentary was never finished and Finke went missing. Vamped Out then picks up years later following a struggling vampire actor (Antoon) trying to make it big in Hollywood and make something of his immortality. He claims to really be a 172 years old and was the one who fed Bram Stoker all of the nonsense that people believe about vampires. This is precisely why he and other vampires aren’t afraid of to be in the spotlight and among humans rather than hiding in the shadows away from civilization. Everything people think can harm vampires: sun, garlic, staking, actually have no effect on them at all, making it pretty hard to believe in vampires and even harder to harm one.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

And The Winner Is;We at TCWreviews.com is proud to announce a winner in our giveaway for The Beatnicks DVD & soundtrack. Congratulations to Telsa Nichole Rudd of Knoxville, Tennessee for becoming our randomly selected winner! We’d also like to give our very special thanks to everyone else both near and afar for entering the giveaway. Our winner has been contacted through the email provided to us and has exactly 48 hours to respond. Should our winner not respond within the time frame given, a follow-up entrée will be chosen.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Producer, John Paul Rice, and director, Edgar Bravo, are passionate individuals, creating films that they believe in and feel will have a real effect on their audience. Their film One Hour Fantasy Girl tells the heartbreaking story of a runaway “One Hour Fantasy Girl”, completing any twisted fantasy for that one hour, but without nudity or sex.

One Hour Fantasy Girl is based on actual runaways trying to make it in Hollywood, supporting their dreams by being fantasy girls to try to sustain their self-respect. How closely did the story end up being based in reality?

Edgar: Since we combined the stories of different runaways the story ended up being 80% close to reality.

Brandi seems to be very closed-off, resistant to letting those around her in. When she finally does it seems to be completely crippling. What does this say about the world that has been created around this character?

Edgar: Because of the upbringing that most runaways go through with their families they end up being attracted to people who only want to use them.

John: The realities of this world represented in the film are a reflection of Brandi’s internal state and as Edgar correctly states, it comes from what she knows – her family life. Just like all of us, our viewpoint of the world and the perceptions we have of people are shaped by our upbringing. Based on experience and what I know from interviewing these girls who live in this world, people who don’t trust or let others in have been abused to the point where the moment they feel vulnerable, they quickly try to suppress those feelings. Those they have trusted in the past and at moments in the present have and continue to betray and take advantage of them at their weakest moments.

There is an underlying line of deception in the film whether it’s through people’s deep dark sexual desires or through their selfish ulterior motives. Is this a reflection on perceptions of how hard it can be to make it in Hollywood or just the self-interested nature of humanity all together?

Edgar: The deception and darkness found in the movie is found in all parts of the world-just check in to the runaway stories in Russia and Europe and you’ll find similar problems.

John: Some who have seen the film comment on the story capturing an honest depiction of what it is like to live in Hollywood – fantasy girl or not. While I do agree deception is prominent in Hollywood, I don’t’ think it pertains to people’s dark sexual desires or selfish ulterior motives. In the story every character believes what they are doing is right – they just expect her to understand. I believe self-interest can be used to better your world without harming others.

Some of the visuals really struck my eye, particularly at the beginning with wildly bright colors and muted tones of the city and later of Brandi herself. What kind of camera was used for the production and what was the cinematography work like?

Edgar: We used a Panasonic 500 for the night and Panasonic 200 for the daylight and interiors. Using digital allowed us to move faster during the shooting but basic lighting techniques used in films were still needed.

John: We used three DP’s on the film. Rush Hamden shot principle with the HVX 200. Scott Toler Collins actually used two different cameras the HPX 500 for night shots and Sony V1U with a steady-tracker stabilizer for the POV shots of Brandi walking in Hollywood. David Zimmerman III shot on a JVC PRO200 for the flashback/dream scenes. Each DP and camera added a distinct feeling to the movements in the film without ever breaking the style. It was great to see how their styles complemented each other according to the place in the story where they were used.

What were some of your struggles finding distribution for the film?

Edgar: We finished the film in January of 2009 when the worst recession ever hit so no one was offering advances for indie film- we are now getting interest from indie distributors.

John: The economy and the consolidation of the marketplace in 2009 presented challenges for all filmmakers. I’d have to say that the most important aspect of our approach was getting the fan base and others involved before the film was released and messaging. It has literally opened so many doors and opportunities. As a result of building a brand over the past year, the film is now getting offers for world-wide distribution.

How has the online market helped in making One Hour Fantasy Girl such a success?

Edgar: John Paul Rice is an expert in marketing online and connecting directly with the audience has helped has helped so much but the bottom line is that you have to a film that moves you emotionally to have a success.

John: As Edgar said, it starts with the product. The online market has allowed us to reach our audience, learn from them and know who the people are that enjoy this film. When you don’t have millions of dollars to market to a large swath of the population, the next best thing you have is time to test and execute ideas. Doing it with others – co-branding, cross-promoting and sharing – increased the success and reach of the film beyond our initial network and it continues to grow as does our knowledge and experience. Since the film generally moves people and elicits strong emotions, next up for us is to give that feeling action by incorporating charitable causes that go beyond just the film experience.

What are some of the ups and downs you have experienced as independent filmmakers and dealing with micro-budgets?

Edgar: Not enough time to shoot- we completed principal photography in 14 days and we’d love to feed our cast and crew better.

John: One of the best things my former boss from Mandate Pictures, Joseph Drake told me years ago is that you will never fully appreciate (at the time) being in a situation of challenges of limitations which often go against what you want… but it is in those moments of challenge that you find out how good you are, what you are truly capable of doing. It made me a better producer. Telling a story you believe in and sharing a passion with others who want to do well makes it the most enjoyable, regardless of the budget. It’s exciting to work with a cast and crew who share that enthusiasm.

What are your hopes of the future for your production company, No Restrictions Entertainment?

Edgar: We want to continue to make films based on scripts that move us and enable us to work with people who share the same passion.

John: Our goal is to make one film a year and so far that has proven to be reasonable with two down in two years with a third to shoot in 2010. With each film, our goal is to work with the most talented professionals in front of and behind the camera who have a passion for their work and craft.

Can you talk about your future projects, The Magic Stone and The Boy Who Couldn’t Say No?

Edgar: The Magic Stone is in post and we are trying to raise funds for the editing, special effects, and score. We are shopping the script of The Boy Who Couldn’t Say No to potential investors.

John: I recently saw the first rough cut for The Magic Stone and it turned out to be one of the better rough cuts I’ve seen. We have a ways to go on the completion of the film and need to raise additional funds for post. We knew this going into shooting and the same was true with One Hour Fantasy Girl where we were able to show well-edited clips to investors and were able to raise funds in stages to complete.

The Boy Who Couldn’t Say No is a larger budgeted film that requires sellable names to make back its budget in distribution sales. If we can’t raise the funds for Boy, this fall we will shoot a story Edgar and I wrote a few years back called “Slave Boy”, a psycho-drama/horror film that is being re-worked and now entitled “Mother’s Red Dress.” I am excited about both films and know the impact of these two films will be very strong and wider in scope than our previous films.

It seems like there is a decent amount of range in these projects. Is that your goal to create and approach different types of material, characters, and themes?

Edgar: Yes, we believe powerful stories can be told in all genres- horror, comedy, etc.- We very much enjoy tackling the challenges that each genre brings.

John: I look at the range of stories we have and their respective genres as being driven by the storyteller’s point of view. When Edgar wrote One Hour Fantasy Girl, he didn’t say, “Let’s make a coming-of-age drama”, the same is true with The Magic Stone, a psychological thriller or The Boy Who Couldn’t Say No, a dark comedy. The stories and characters come from a place of belief within Edgar, inspired by others. When looking at other filmmaker’s work, you can often see their beliefs guiding their choice of material, characters and themes that reflect their particular view of the world.